Main route summary

For the most part, the route over these Munros follows good tracks and paths, however the areas around Tolmount and Tom Buidhe are featureless and pathless and require careful navigation in mist.

With just 1,690m of ascent over a distance of 30km, the climbs are generally gentle and over grassy ground.

The 'Main Route' described below is also the line used for the Glenshee 9 Munros Hillrace. There are also two other routes described in 'Alternative routes' taking in other peaks to the north and to the south-east.

Glenshee Ski Centre is just below the col on the highest point on the A93 south of Braemar.

Unless skiing conditions are tolerable, there are no parking problems !
Park at highest point on the A93, just south of Glenshee ski centre.

Creag Leacach

From the track that starts by the mast, aim north-east uphill for ½km, then turn south east, still following the track.
Continue up to Meall Odhar (ski-tow and cairn mark summit).

Pick up a path on right just before pull up Glas Maol Path turns south and contours Glas Maol then pick up fence posts.
Over grassy ground, follow posts south, watch out to avoid tripping over wires.

Fence posts join a wall with a shelter at sharp turn in wall.

Ground gets bouldery, follow the wall to Creag Leacach, over one bump on way - good views south from the summit cairn.

Glas Maol

Return along wall to fence posts, then continue following the posts most of way up Glas Maol.

Turn east just before the hill flattens, then follow another line of posts to the large summit cairn around the trig point.
Suprisingly not great views from here, due to the bulk of the summit !

Cairn of Claise

Aim north over grassy ground to pick up a track coming from the west.

Stick to the track for over 2km to just under Cairn of Claise's summit boulders.

Leave the track and cross boulders for the last few metres to the summit.
A large, well-constructed symetrical cairn rises from the wall that crosses the hill.

Tom Buidhe

Follow the wall eastwards to its end, then bear due east over grassy ground.

A faint path with occasional iron posts can be picked up and followed - not the easiest ground to navigate in mist !

The last kilometre up Tom Buidhe's grassy slope is reached via a more obvious path.
Only a small pile of stones mark the summit - not any shelter here !

Tolmount

On the path, return for around ½km, then take another path heading north-west downhill towards a burn in the middle of the bowl ahead.

Cross the burn then, turning north-north-east, pick up some iron posts to follow to the summit of Tolmount.
Some boulders on this top have encouraged a larger cairn to be thrown together than that on Tom Buidhe.
Amazing how close Lochnagar is from here.

Carn an Tuirc

Return south-east-south for ½km following the fence-posts and path, turn right (west), continuing on the faint path to the lowest point.

The path disappears and navigation becomes testing from here !

Gently climbing, head north-west over grassy and sometimes wet ground.
You'll reach Cairn of Claise's northern broad shoulder, there's then a descent to the bealach between Cairn of Claise and Carn an Tuirc.

A path is picked up at the col, follow this to a split in the path, then take the lower path (left).
The path continues over easy ground to a large flat summit area, where the terrain gets bouldery and scree covered.
Continue over boulders and stones to the cairn of Carn an Tuirc.

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Carn Aosda

Leave the cairn heading west-north-west to find a path that picks its way through the scree then the heather downhill.
As the path flattens, the going gets wetter until the burn is reached.
Crossing this can be slightly difficult in spate.

From here, a good path winds its way following the burn to an old bridge below the A93.

Over the bridge and cross the road, then strike directly uphill through fairly thick heather (and no path) to reach the northern arm of Carn Aosda.
When the ground levels out, the heather disappears and the terrain eases, the bouldery summit with its small cairn just above the top of the ski-tows is not much further !

Carn a'Gheoidh

From Carn Aosda's summit, follow the wide track south-west around the top of the ski-tows and down the bealach just above Loch Vrotachan.

At the bealach, don't continue on the track, look for a faint path on the right aiming due south.
This crosses wet ground and climbs a few metres to the col between the Cairnwell and Carn nan Sac.

A good path is picked up and followed south-west to the lochans just north of Carn nan Sac.
Turn around the south edge of the lochan, following a fainter path aiming directly towards Carn a'Gheoidh.
The path continues to the large cairn on summit over easy ground with only one short steep section.

The Cairnwell

Return to the bealach before the Cairnwell and look for a scarred path on the right scratching its way through the heather and rubble.
Pick up a track which continues past the top of the chair lift and to the huts and masts on Cairnwell's summit.
Although untidy, Cairnwell's summit is a fine viewpoint in all directions.

Return

From the summit strike directly downhill over steep and heathery ground back to the car-park.

Glen Ey and the Cairnwell Munros
Combining Carn a'Gheoidh, The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda with the five Glen Ey Munros makes for a fairly straightforward, if long day !

Ascent

2775m (9,100ft)

Distance

43km (27m)

Time

walking : 15hr

Terrain

easy

difficult

Nav

easy

testing

Effort

stroll

long day

Scenery

ok

stunning

Getting there

Set off from Baddoch, which is on the A93, 6km north of Glenshee Ski Centre. Limited road-side parking.

An Socach

Head through the gate in the deer fence, then follow the track past the house at Baddoch for 3km, to cross a burn (moderately difficult in spate).

Immediately after crossing the burn, turn right (north) and then head up a faint but obvious path through heather to a cairn at c720m.

The path continues up more heather, then boulderfield to An Socach's east summit.

Head south-west, follow the plateau over more boulderfield to the two cairns on An Socach's west summit.

Carn Bhac

Aim downhill on An Socach's north ridge north and cross the Allt an Odhar.

Staying on the north side of the Alltan Odhar, an obvious path progressively becomes fainter and eventually disappears in to the heather.

Further up on Carn Bhac's gentle heather covered slopes, bands of stones are crossed, which indicate the summit is not much further.

Stoney ground on the summit surrounds the large cairn and views are quite exceptional considering this hill's flat shape and diminutive height when compared to the mountains all around.

Beinn Iuthan Mhor

From Carn Bhac's summit, head south-west for the col ahead.

Up to the top marked 920 on the OS maps, then bear south for 1km over the grass and peat hags.

Continue over the rise (marked 818m) down to the base of a dip, then climb up a gentle rise (on a very faint path), to reach the bottom of Beinn Iutharn's bouldery north-east shoulder.

There's no choice but to head up the steep loose terrain ahead !

Once on the shoulder's crest, an obvious path is followed around the northern coire to the tidy cairn on Beinn Iutharn's summit.

Carn an Righ

Leave Beinn Iutharn's summit cairn and head south, then south-east-south for just under 1km over grass to a col.

A path begins to appear, follow this south, then south-west-south around Mam nan Carn, then pick up this hill's bouldery south-west shoulder.

The path continues downhill to the peat-hagged bealach below Carn an Righ.

Follow a badly erroded path up the heather then bouldery patches higher up to Carn an Righ's summit with cairn and fine vista over Beinn a'Ghlo.

Glas Tulaichean

Return to the bealach, then leave the path and bound over heather to follow a burn south-east down to the grassy foot of Glas Tulaichean.

Aim south-east-south directly up hill on grassy, occasionally wet and ever steepening ground to reach the hill's western shoulder.

You'll come across a line of fence posts and track. The fence posts continue to the summit with its lonely trig point.

Being elevated from all its immediate neighbours, this hill has some fine views in all directions.

Carn a'Gheoidh, The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda

Staying on a path, leave Glas Tulaichean's summit and head north-east following occasional fence-posts.

The path continues down to 800m, where you have a choice to go around, or climb up over a 50m hillock.
If you go up and you'll be rewarded with a view over Loch nan Eun, so called due to the number of gulls that nest there in the breeding season.

Cross the burn coming out of the loch, and now on pathless heather covered ground, climb up Carn a'Chlarsaich.

Now head over grass then heather to the col below Carn Bhinnein.
A straightforward slog gets you up Carn Bhinnein, from where the large cairn on Carn A'Gheoidh is not far away.

As described in the 'Main Route', head over to The Cairnwell and Carn Aosda.

From Carn Aosda, head north east over boulders then deep heather down to a car-park on the A93, just 2km south of the start, for a quick jog back along the road.

The nearest town is Kirriemuir to the south, from where roadside signs point to Glen Clova.
In Glen Clova the road forms a circular route on either side of the River Clova, where supposedly an unofficial clockwise one-way system is in place.

At Glen Clova Inn a bridge is crossed and a narrow road is followed for just under 6km to a large car-park.
At my last visit, it cost £2 to park here.

Driesh

From the car-park, follow the track north-west, pass some farm buildings, through a gate and come to a junction.
At this junction, turn left and walk down to a bridge.

Beyond the bridge the track veeres right, which is followed for 400m to a sharp turn.
Look for a path aiming directly uphill.
Follow this path, which crosses another track further on.

The path climbs up what used to be thick forest, but with felling, the now open views look over an untidy mess.
Further on, the remaining forest is entered and the Burn of Kilbo is reached and crossed (with care in spate).

The path exits the forest and climbs up below the crest of Shank of Druimfollow to meet with a cairn just before reaching the bealach between Driesh and Mayar.

The cairn marks a junction in the path - turn to the left and follow the path as it drops slightly, then climbs initially hugging the edge of the corrie.

The path becomes fainter and travels to the summit of Driesh with a cairn sheltering its trig point.

Mayar

Return to the bealach, climb up ahead, following a few fence posts partically buried in the grass and rocks.

Upon reaching the top of Shank of Druimfollow, turn left (west) then continue on fairly level ground, following fence posts east until a Right-of-Way sign at a sharp corner on the fence line is reached.

At this point, leave the fence behind and on a very obvious and worn path, continue westwards.
The ground rises and becomes more bouldery as the summit of Mayar is attained.

Tom Buidhe and Tolmount

Leave Mayar and head north-west following the fence-posts over pathless grassy ground.

Our next guided event on the Glenshee 9 will be most likely be early 2019.
Information on the event is on this page.

Alternatively, if you would like a bespoke day or two hiking over these peaks, we would be delighted to organise something for you and your group.
Check out our Bespoke Guiding page for more information.